Underneath the Fireworks
by Caramel Van Gogh
Summary: They watched the fireworks go off in the distance with a comfortable quiet atmosphere. She just wished it was the same inside her mind because unbeknownst to Cloud, Tifa was too busy thinking, panicking, on how she would utter the long overdue three words to him now that he was here.


At last I finally _finally_ completed this. Writer's block sucks and even then I don't know if this is any good lol. Enjoy and Happy New Year everyone!

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Everything was bright in Costa del Sol.

People were buzzing everywhere, be it the beach or the streets, as the festival was happening in celebration of the New Year's Eve. Tifa thought that this is the brightest and the liveliest she had seen Costa del Sol in her life and she was not above enjoying it. However, she wanted to enjoy the view from afar, opting to stay at the villa they rented and stood outside the veranda overlooking the festivities. The scene was amazing on her spot and she was glad that they had chosen this particular villa to rent. It overlooked the area well, especially the beach and its secluded parts. The barmaid decided to stay back at the villa rather than join Barret and the kids explore the festival as too many people and too much noise can overwhelm her.

She likes quiet.

Quiet was nice. It was welcomed since her life was filled with loud and messy noises for the most of it. Never having a moment to take the time to relax and appreciate the silence. But..

Silence can be a double-edged sword too. It makes one think of thoughts that were better locked up inside their minds, avoiding to open it at all costs.

Their wounds were still very fresh even after all these years after all. Yet, they'll get by. They were healing, slowly but surely, and one day, it's only the scars they will carry.

Tifa closed her eyes and tried not to let her mind wander down that direction, it was a good day and she was not willing to ruin it. Beside in a few hours, a new year will enter and that means a new year of second chances. Of new memories. Of new challenges. Of new happiness. Maybe..maybe new relationships as well? That is if she stopped running away from her making her feelings known.

She just hoped that everything will fall right into place again.

Tifa took a deep breath, placed her arms on the railings and rested her head on them. Minutes passed as she watched the town get busy for the countdown and she couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was truly a wonderful seeing people be happy and enjoying things in life. A large price was paid for the peace that they had now so she was really glad to see it was worth it. Yet she still thinks that it's unfair that the flower girl's life was one of the prices the planet wanted.

Because of this, she was forever grateful for the Her (she missed her so much too). Shaking the thoughts away, Tifa sighed deeply.

From the other side of the town, she saw small fireworks illuminating the sky. The scene was beautiful and in the midst of her admiration she felt a presence join her on the veranda.

She didn't need to look at her side to see who it was because there's only one other person who decided to stay at the villa and not go into town with the kids and Barret.

That or she has memorized him so well over the years that she could tell it was him by the way he moves even without looking. Because she knew him enough like that and she was conscious of his very existence.

And that person is none other than Cloud Strife.

"Do you mind if I join you?" He asked, a hint of bashfulness in his voice.

"Silly, of course I don't. I like your company." She answered with a playful smile on her lips as she stood straight and gave him a little bump on his shoulder with hers.

There were no words exchanged between them after, they were only savouring the comfort that both of them felt with each other's mere presence, with or without speaking. Unlike the days where they were in a dark place before the Remnants incident, the silence between them was not heavy anymore. It wasn't filled with unsaid words and thick tension like it used to.

They watched the fireworks go off in the distance with a comfortable quiet atmosphere. She just wished it was the same inside her mind because unbeknownst to Cloud, Tifa was too busy thinking, panicking, on how she would utter the long overdue three words to him now that he was here. The two of them alone together. It was the perfect chance to tell him.

Why was it so hard to just say it?

The barmaid was jolted out of her stupor when she felt calloused fingers intertwining slowly, shyly, with hers. The touch was feather light at first before completely gripping her hand with a gentle strength. Tifa stared at their linked hands for a moment before snapping her head to look at the blond beside her.

His head was turned away in the opposite direction from hers but she could see the red stains as a result of the forming heat on his cheeks and his a small genuine smile which in turn made her giggle and blush too.

Cloud squeezed her hand ever so slightly and she answered it with the same gesture.

The colorful bursts of tiny sparks in the sky, however, reminded her so much of that moment in the gondola at Gold Saucer. The one where she couldn't find the courage to confess her feelings for the man beside her. Where she blamed the fireworks for being too cowardly to say anything to him. It would've drowned out the words just like how it drowned the thoughts in her brain.

"You know.." she started.

"I've always had mixed feelings about fireworks. I admire how beautiful they are but I can't help but think...that it interrupts people too." Tifa couldn't help but feel embarrassed by this and his one cocked eyebrow didn't really help either.

"Why is that?" He questioned. Confused.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and racked her brain for an answer, fast.

_Stupid mouth. I'm digging my own grave because of you._

How was she supposed to answer that without telling him outright it was because of their "date" 2 years ago at Gold Saucer? Where she convinced herself to take the way out of confessing her feelings for him?

"Well..umm, uhh. It's because…gold saucer..gondola..."

She shut her mouth and left the sentence hanging. She really didn't know what to say. The whole situation was really awkward,in her place at least. She knew Cloud didn't have any clue about it. The sound of the fireworks had stopped too and she didn't even notice that the fireworks were no longer coloring the sky until she decided to distract herself from his stare. From this whole mess that she undoubtedly started.

Tifa made a move to let go of his hand and bury her face in her own but before she could do so, Cloud tugged at her to make her look at him.

"Teef.."

She remained quiet. Looking anywhere but at him.

"Did you remember what you said to me back then? You know...the 'words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel'?"

Nodding her head absently, she still didn't look at him.

"Then...maybe...ugh… you can say the things that you want to, without the words...so that the fireworks won't drown them out anymore." It was then that Tifa managed to face him and was surprised to see in his eyes the clarity and epiphany. All the while his other hand was scratching the back of his neck. She stared at him for a long moment that she can see the doubt and uncertainty plague him.

Okay, better do it now before I can lose any willpower to do this.

"But you know..if you don't want that then—omf"

She cut him off from saying anything more as she stood in her tiptoes, grabbed the back of his head to pull it down and kissed him sweetly on the lips. The kiss where she poured out the words that she had been dying to say to him but never had the courage to do so.

In the distance, she heard the sound of the fireworks exploding in the sky. The sound was closer this time and she thinks it's because someone set them off in the beach area near the villa but the sound still felt distant because the pumping of her heart was loud in her ears. It confuses her for a moment, if she really heard the fireworks or she had just mistaken the beat of her heart as one.

The kiss only lasted seconds but she felt it like hours and it was electrifying. Like a current circulating inside her veins. She felt alive. The feeling was akin to what she felt that night under the Highwind.

Her lips parted from his and she glanced up at him with her ruby eyes under her lashes. What she saw was a mixture of shock, excitement, confusion and was that..was that happiness?

Before she could completely put back the distance between them, it was Cloud's turn to cradle her cheek and kissed her with fervor. And Tifa was suddenly weak on her knees by the dizzying kiss. It also managed to send her the message that the chocobo haired man wanted to let her know.

That he feels the same way. And he felt that way for a long long time now. Just scared of saying it as well.

She wanted to laugh at how in sync their minds are at these things.

They hesitantly broke apart for air as the fireworks continued to burst at the sky, sending colorful sparks in the night sky. Cloud moved to kiss her forehead and rested his own on it while stroking her cheek with his thumb, both of them returning to relish in each other's presence and comfort.

They'll be okay, the barmaid thought, because in this moment she knew they were no longer going to brave the years as just either Cloud or Tifa.

But as Cloud and Tifa.

The fireworks continued to set off in the background but nothing was ever more beautiful for her than his eyes. She would willingly drown in them. It was a part of him that he despised, she knew that, but she would never find it repulsive. She never found anything about him repulsive. Tifa closed her eyes and let herself feel him. To feel this moment. Because it took them a damn long time to get where they are and now that it's here, she wanted to feel the reality of it. And she knew he mimicked her actions.

This is more than what Tifa bargained for but she wasn't complaining. Not ever. She can feel Cloud's lips an inch from hers and before he had the opportunity to close the distance again, the door to the living area was slammed open and three voices happily boomed,

"We're BACK!"

Making Cloud and Tifa jump as far away from each other as possible.


End file.
